School Notes: May 18

The inaugural class of Union County’s Growing Leaders From Within program just received their diplomas.

The 10 assistant principals are being trained to take over a principal role one day at a local school. The program replaced the popular Principals Executive Program, which was lost due to funding cuts.

“It turned out even better than I had imagined,” said Dr. David Clarke, the school system’s deputy superintendent and founder of the program. “It’s been about preparing these folks for that next level. Even if they don’t move to the next level of a principalship, the program is designed to make them better assistant principals.”

The program will pick 10 more assistant principals in July. The program takes about a year to complete, with members completing a week-long summer institute and then meeting two half-days each month.

Monroe Senior High student wins scholarship

MONROE – James Hughes, who attends Monroe Senior High School, was recently picked by the A Few Good Men organization as the 2012 Robert Franklin Williams Scholarship winner.

Hughes, who has a 3.3 GPA, proved his knowledge about Robert Williams by writing an essay on the scholarship’s namesake and doing well in an interview about Williams, who was a civil rights leader from Monroe. Hughes also was senior vice president of the student council, member of TRU club and took part in the Science Olympiad. He reached the rank of cadet major in the JROTC.

He will attend The Citadel in the fall. He wants to be a pilot.

ReadMobile heads to Western Union Elementary

WAXHAW – The We Give Books ReadMobile will be dropping off more than 500 new children’s books to students at Western Union Elementary School next week.

The program, run by the Penguin Group and the Pearson Foundation, will bring books to hundreds of students across the country. Kids at Western Union will get their books Monday, May 21.

SPCC holds graduation ceremonies

MONROE – The South Piedmont Community College honored graduates last week with two ceremonies at the Union County Agricultural Services and Conference Center.

More than 200 of this year’s 408 graduates walked May 11. During the ceremonies, retiring state Sen. Bill Purcell and former state Rep. Pryor Gibson were honored with honorary associate in arts degrees.

Medical assisting instructor Lori Starnes was awarded the 2012 Faculty of the Year award, and criminal justice technology instructor Deidre Hatcher was named Adjunct Faculty of the Year.

College hosts fair for exceptional children

MONROE – South Piedmont Community College was the site Thursday, May 17, for the Union County school system’s Transition Fair for juniors and seniors with disabilities.

The event included motivational speakers, an employability seminar and access to resources and information for life after high school.